Thelonious Monk’s years as a Prestige recording artist (1952-1954) were tough times for the legendary composer/pianist. Unable to work in New York clubs due to the unjust loss of his cabaret card, and misunderstood when not ignored by listeners as well as many musicians, Monk’s profile was sustained primarily by his appearances as both leader and sideman on a series of Prestige sessions released in the then-new LP format. The present collection, which samples three of those sessions, appeared as critics and fans were beginning to catch up to Monk’s singular genius and remains one of the best introductions to his iconoclastic brilliance. Three tracks feature leading Monk disciple Sonny Rollins, hitting early peaks on two standards and stretching out on “Friday the 13th,” plus a pair of tracks in which Monk’s greatest studio trio (with Percy Heath on bass and Art Blakey on drums) introduce the classic “Work” and “Nutty.”
“I was the engineer on the recording sessions and I also made the masters for the original LP issues of these albums. Since the advent of the CD, other people have been making the masters. Mastering is the final step in the process of creating the sound of the finished product. Now, thanks to the folks at the Concord Music Group who have given me the opportunity to remaster these albums, I can present my versions of the music on CD using modern technology. I remember the sessions well, I remember how the musicians wanted to sound, and I remember their reactions to the playbacks. Today, I feel strongly that I am their messenger.” |